The Picture That She Drew
by aishiteru-inu
Summary: InuYasha goes to Sesshoumaru for help -- while carrying Kagome's lifeless body! And what does the picture she drew have anything to do with what happens? IC & OOC. Please R


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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of InuYasha, (but he still has my heart!) and I do not seek to gain anything in means of profit, rights, or anything else from creating this. This story is only a fanciful musing from a person that totally adorns the characters and story as it is.

I guess you could say this is my second attempt at writing a Fanfiction story. I don't know what prompted me to write this one, but the words just started and my fingers just typed.

The characters are IC and OOC -- I think I'm figuring the abrevs right. Also, just to let you know before someone complains about it, I know I saw an episode were Sesshoumaru brought a demon head back to life with the touch of something - whether it was a staff or the sword, I can't remember - but in this story it's the sword that's important, so don't flame me if that's not right. It's my story, and that's what I want to happen.

Also, there's no time setting, so make it whichever you want, it should fit either way. Anyway,…… hope you enjoy it.

The update on this story has NOT changed the content. It still remains the same. But because of a review, I thought that I would clear up a part of the story that might be 'unclear' as to what Sesshoumaru is doing toward the end in case other people are in the dark of figuring it out. The answer is in the personal note at the end of the story, but NEW PEOPLE please read story first before jumping down.

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The Picture That She Drew

by: aishiteruinu

The doors flung open violently and InuYasha burst through carrying the lifeless body of Kagome in his arms, followed by an outraged Jaken.

"Sesshoumaru!"

"And what do I owe this unpleasant visit to, InuYasha?" he said dryly looking disdainfully at his half-brother.

InuYasha stood in the middle of the room looking like he was ready to tear into the Lord of the Western World; his chest heaved as he took in deep breaths of air, his brows furrowed along with a dead set expression upon his face. Then it all dropped.

"I need your help."

"She's already dead, InuYasha. What help could I possibly give you…"

"I want you to bring her back to life," he interrupted in a rush. "I -- I know you can…do…that."

The two golden eyed brothers stared at each other. Sesshoumaru just sat there, unmoved, while InuYasha began to get nervous -- not because of fear of his brother, but because every moment that passed slipped her that much further away.

"Why would I do that?"

InuYasha just stood there keeping eye contact with his brother, trying to keep himself somewhat under control, but was starting to fail at that.

"I can't lose her."

"You already have."

"No! That's not true, you can…"

"I don't want to." Sesshoumaru spoke calmly as he always did, unaffected by anything. "Why would I want to, little brother? It would give you some measure of happiness when all I care about is seeing you in pain."

"Because she doesn't deserve it."

"Deserve or not, death comes anyway."

InuYasha walked closer to his brother. Once he stood in front of the desk, he dropped his hold on Kagome under her legs, and with a swipe of his arm knocked everything that was on the desk off; then he picked the girl back up and placed her on top of it.

"Get the piece of filth off my desk."

"Please." InuYasha said quietly and place the tetsusaiga next to her in front of his brother.

The breath caught in Sesshoumaru's throat, but he didn't allow his surprise to show. The tetsusaiga! InuYasha was bargaining the sword for the life of this mere worthless piece of human flesh?

"You know what that means, InuYasha?"

"Kagome's life for the sword." He squared his shoulders back with resolved determination.

"No. It's your life. It's your link from becoming a full demon that will drive you insane to kill…kill anything…even her… again."

"Just make her live," his voice barely more than a whisper.

Sesshoumaru sat there unmoving, looking thoughtful.

"No, InuYasha."

"But I'm giving you the sword!"

"I don't want the sword right now."

"What do you want then?"

"I want you to take that dead girl off my desk and leave."

"You can help…."

"As if I want to."

Sesshoumaru watched and his brother dug something out of the folds of his haori and opened it up, then the piece of paper was violently shoved almost into his face.

"Why the hell she ever thought that there was ever anything good worth in you, I'll never know…!" InuYasha said between clenched teeth, baring fangs. "Giving you credit of prestige that you don't deserve! Making me think that one day……it _might_ even be possible…… But she was wrong! You don't deserve anything! You're just a f------ prick same as always!"

Sesshoumaru just stared at the picture that was before him. There in the mist of colors of leads and inks was a very well, very beautiful picture…

"Yeah, she drew it!" InuYasha spat with venom. "She does that kind of thing when there's something she feels in her heart!"

…a picture of himself looking most regal…

"You didn't deserve her thoughts…"

…with InuYasha hugging against him…of all things…

"You didn't deserve one moment she wasted…"

…and his one arm was around his little brother, while his other hand was about to touch his head…to…comfort…him? The two swords, the tetsusaiga and tenseiga, were crossed together behind them; and beyond that, in the background she had drawn a huge, monstrous white dog with flaming red eyes and gleaming teeth, but the dog wasn't hideous. It looked like it was drawn of great stature…and at…peace…over looking the two.

"MAKE HER LIVE!"

The paper was slammed down in front of him.

"You owe it to her for **_ever_** considering you more than you really are!"

He watched as Sesshoumaru picked up the picture and study it for a moment more. Then it was ripped in half and the pieces allowed to carelessly fall to the floor.

"Really, brother, you think I care? I don't owe her anything."

InuYasha stood there, his fist clenched so tightly that he could feel the sting of each claw that punctured through his skin and the warm stickiness of blood seeping out. His mouth was set in a hard angry pout, and his glaring eyes furrowed with hate…and pain of loss.

He knew it was useless to come here, but he had to try for Kagome's sake, only there was nothing he could do now… Reaching out, InuYasha gently picked the lifeless girl back up in his arms and cradled her close to him, then he turned around and started to walk across the room to leave.

"InuYasha…" he heard his brother's call, and he stopped yet didn't turn around. "You forgot the sword."

With his ears, Sesshoumaru could hear the slight 'humph' of air as if InuYasha had laughed.

"Keep it." he said quietly, yet forcefully. "I won't be needing it anymore." _'There's no reason left to go on now that she's gone. At least being insane until it kills me would release me from remembering that I've lost her… from remembering that I never told her just how much I loved her.'_

Sesshoumaru, watch his brother resume his departure, the dark hair of the girl falling down across his arm, swaying slightly, the arm that hung limply against his side.

He looked down at the torn picture and saw himself looking back. The hand that had drawn it had done a beautiful job, not that he would admit that… for now. Did she really see him like that? Did she really think he was that beautiful? She should have drawn him looking like that as he was tearing InuYasha's heart out, not holding him, but that was the failing of humans. And the demon dog behind them had to be no other than their father. How could a mere human girl capture such eminence? And InuYasha's face…with his eyes closed and that expression… Yes, she captured him quiet rightly too. InuYasha always wanted…needed someone…to…care for him. Of course, relationships of heart mattered to humans and that's exactly what the picture portrayed.

Still,…he stared at himself.

"InuYasha." He said his brother's name once more, bringing him to another standstill just before he got to the doorway. He could sense he was crying, silently, strongly keeping himself from breaking down, holding the bloody lifeless corpse of the female so tightly against his heart. She _was_ his heart, and nothing could hurt InuYasha more than to let him walk out of there with her like that. He would accomplish all that he wanted to do against his 'little brother'.

So why was he……

Sesshoumaru appeared beside InuYasha, who wouldn't look at him, his face conceal by his ruffled trusses of hair. Without a word, he drew out the tenseiga, which was his sword, and touched it to the girl's arm.

"Live." he said unemotionally, and a white light spread out the entire length of the sword and the girl. It only took a moment, maybe a blink of an eye…ok, maybe two…but the glow ended and the once still form began to move.

At first it was like she was coming out of a deep sleep, wanting to wake up but not wanting to come out of the slumbering world that wrapped around her, then…

"I-In-nu--" were the sounds that tried to make their way out of her mouth, and the hanyou that held her dropped to his knees.

"Kagome?" he whisper, not believing that she stirred in his arms. "Kagome!" and he crushed her still awakening form to him all that much more, burying his face against her neck. "Gods, Kagome, I thought I'd lost you!"

His brother was pathetic. Groveling on the floor, hugging this -- female -- crying. Disgusting emotions.

"Leave, InuYasha. I do not wish your presence here any longer." Sesshoumaru turned from the sight of the hanyou and the human female to look back across his office.

InuYasha didn't care. He didn't argue. He just got up with everything that meant anything in the world to him in his arms and started walking out the door.

"Thank you," he heard InuYasha whisper.

"You forgot your sword, InuYasha."

For the third time, the hanyou halted.

"Jaken…" Sesshoumaru ordered the toad servant without further words to fetch the tetsusaiga from the desk and bring it there to him.

"But, my Lord…" and received a glaring look from him. "Y-Yes, Master."

Within moments, Jaken had scurried over to them, -- having taken quite a few good shocks as he tried to handle it, -- with the treasure that his master had sought after for many years, only to be handing it back to the one he hated the most.

"Take it."

InuYasha turned around this time to face his brother, his eyes wide with shock and wonder.

"For you to just hand it to me, little brother, has no meaning. I want it, yes. But I will take it from you in my own time; in my own way."

InuYasha had to allow Kagome to drop against his front as he reached out to take hold of the sword he had left behind; then he replaced it back at his hip.

"Sess…" he started.

"Don't speak, InuYasha, just leave now…and take the tetsusaiga and that…_bitch_ with you."

InuYasha didn't linger any longer, to do so would be dangerous and he didn't want to risk that with Kagome's life. No, he wanted out of there just as much as his brother did. Besides, he had other things on his mind to do once he got his Kagome back home where he could see about her better.

Ha. Home. He actually felt that he really had a place to call home.

Sesshoumaru felt the swing in InuYasha's emotions. Felt hope and caring flood back into the pain filled half demon as he bounded away.

He gave a low, barely audible growl and moved back to the desk he had once occupied. Jaken had already started cleaning the mess that his brother had made, setting things back in their rightful places.

As he walked around his desk, the great lord noticed that the picture he had torn in half was no longer there. He glanced into the waste pile and there it was…his image still staring up at him. Issuing another growl, he bent to pick up the two pieces of paper out of the trash.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I will see that it is destroyed…." Jaken reached out to take the offending pieces from him.

"No."

"No?"

"No." Not giving the servant any further explanation. "Be gone."

Without question, the toad rushed to obey. "Yes, Master."

Alone once more, Sesshoumaru continued to stare at the drawing of himself and his father, then after long moments, he moved the other piece of paper he held until it fit against the ripped part of the first.

Laying the torn pieces down on the desk with the blank side of it facing upward, he reached over to the top drawer and felt for something inside. There was a faint snapping click sound and then a rip.

Sesshoumaru turned the picture over and looked at the now combined pieces of paper. The drawing was whole once more.

__

'She made that…' his head started but from his training of control he cut it off. He was not like his brother.

Still… Opening the center front drawer of his desk, he laid the picture inside, then closed it. Tomorrow he'd have Jaken get a picture frame.

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Personal Note: While writing this story, even I imagined that it had the setting of the past, but there are a couple of 'items' that are futuristic. I did not expressly time date this story to any particular era. I left it up to the readers imagination to decide as they read it. For those that cannot figure out what Sesshoumaru is doing (searching in the desk), he's getting tape. He's taping the picture together without marring the front anymore than it has been. I thought that by using the word 'tape' would lessen the effect and imagination of the story itself. Because of not wanting to say 'tape', it's not described as him putting it on the paper either, just that the picture was together.


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